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Photo credit by WolfS♡ul

Whether you are an ardent supporter of St. Valentine's day in all its fuzzy, pink glory, or whether you take a more cynical view by calling it a corporate holiday, you must admit that Valentine's Day can be an expensive holiday to celebrate. After the tallies for dinner costs, travel, and gifts have been totaled, your wallet can be left in the red. However, a smashing Valentine's evening doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. If you want to celebrate the alleged "most romantic day of the year," on a budget, then try these inexpensive Valentine's Day date ideas.

Living Room Picnic

This Valentine's Day, forgo the traditionally expensive dinner out, for a romantic living room picnic. Spend time in the kitchen with your sweetie while cooking up your favorite meal. Then, lay out a cozy blanket on the living room floor, and spread candles around the room to create a romantic setting. Serve dinner picnic style on the blanket followed by a romantic dessert. If you have a fireplace, light it for ambiance, and hopefully a bit of foreshadowing for other home fires to come.

Home Spa Day

Trips to the spa can not only cost an arm and a leg, but also an ear or two. Save your cash for a rainy day, and treat your valentine to a romantic, and especially intimate spa day at home. Break out your softest bathrobes and slippers, massage oils, soothing music, and in true Valentine's Day fashion...chocolates. Put on your favorite music, and slip into a nice warm bath or hot tub together. Then, towel off, and take turns giving each other full body massages to relieve stress and relax the body. Tuck into your robes and slippers, and cozy up together while feeding each other delicious sweet treats.

Memory Lane Scavenger Hunt

Gather together meaningful, yet inexpensive gifts relating to your relationship, like a framed photo, monogrammed items, a DVD of the first movie you watched together, etc. to use on the scavenger hunt. You can hide the items around your home for your valentine to find using clues that you give to him or her. For a creative twist, hide the items in spots relating to milestones in your relationship, like the location of your first date, a special place where you liked to spend time together, etc. The clues and small gifts will lead up to you being found as the grand prize, while you and your sweetie will be able to relive special moments from your time together.

Handmade Gift Challenge

This gift idea is not only sweet, creative, and romantic, but also cause for more than a few laughs. This Valentine's Day, you and your partner should participate in the handmade gift challenge. Establish a price limit of $5 or $10 each for your gift making extravaganza. Then, use the money allotment to buy supplies to create your handmade gift. Combine your purchased supplies with found and recycled items in order to win the title of most unique handmade gift. Then, as the winner, get treated to dinner courtesy of your sweetheart.

No matter how you choose to celebrate St. Valentine's Day, you can have a romantic, fun-filled, original evening that doesn't leave you a few hundred dollars in debt. Any of these inexpensive Valentine's Day date ideas will definitely make for a night full of memories to be shared for years to come. Happy Valentine's Day!